John Schaeffer Rand, 94, of Chester, NH passed away Wednesday July 30, 2025 surrounded by his loving family at their home in Manchester, NH. John was born March 30, 1931 in Chester and was a son of the late Loren and Isabel (Groff) Rand. John was raised and educated in Chester and was a lifelong resident of Chester. John graduated high school from Pinkerton Academy class of 1950 where he played Football and baseball. He also played football and baseball at New England College where he attended until he was drafted into the US Army during the Korean War.
John served his country in the US Army Signal Corps during the Korean War based in northern Virginia where he met his wife Sondra while she was attending Temple University. After his service he worked with his father and brothers operating Granite State Telecom. He was an electrician as well as a contractor as the owner of Rand and Son Construction Co. building homes as well as specializing in LDS Church buildings across New England. John loved the outdoors and in his younger days, was an avid skier and gardener. He loved coming to Calif to visit his son’s family, going to the Zoo, beach, and Disneyland. He loved watching his grandchildren play sports rather in California or New Hampshire and that love carried over to the great grandchildren as health would permit. John was a devout long-time member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints of Derry.
Members of the family include his wife of 11 years, Lorraine (Frechette) Rand of Manchester; three sons, William (Denise) Rand of Alpine, CA, Robert (Jill) Rand of Auburn, NH and David Rand (Jason) of York, ME; nine grandchildren, Carrie, Cassie, Connor, Dustin, Christopher, Joseph, Matthias, Parker and Presley; 17 great grandchildren; two step daughters, Robyn (Harry) St. Brice and Linda (Barry) Holmes; eight step-grandchildren; two brothers, G. David Rand and Hobart G. Rand; and two sisters, Nancy A. Zimmer and Elizabeth Craven. John was predeceased by his first wife Sondra in 2013 and by his daughter Sharon Reinfurt in 2001 and his brother David Rand in 2024.
An hour of visitation from 1:00pm – 2:00pm followed by a funeral service at 2:00pm will be held Sunday, August 10th at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 50 Adams Pond Road, Derry. A graveside service will be Monday, August 11th at 10:00am in Great Hill Cemetery in Chester.